Contents

Get in

By plane

Wilmington is served primarily by the Philadelphia International Airport (IATA: PHL), which offers flights on all major airlines to cities throughout the United States and elsewhere. PHL is about half an hour away by car on I-95.

New Castle Airport (IATA: ILG) is closer. Delaware is the only state in the Union that does not have a commercial airport with scheduled passenger service.

By car

By car, Wilmington is easily accessible along I-95, the major north-south highway along the East Coast.

By train

It is also possible to travel to Wilmington (expensively but very conveniently) on Amtrak. The high-speed Acela train runs the length of the Northeast Corridor, and the slower Metroliner also stops at Wilmington's train station downtown. Wilmington is also served by an extension of Philadelphia's public transit system, SEPTA.

By bus

Greyhound serves a few cities in Delaware.

Get around

DelDOT's network of DART buses [4] serve Wilmington, but these are designed primarily for commuters. A car is the best way to get around the city, especially if you plan on driving to office parks, tourist attractions, or other locations outside of the city proper.

See

At the center of downtown Wilmington is Rodney Square, a public square featuring a statute honoring its namesake, and signatory to the Declaration of Independence, Caesar Rodney.

Wilmington's recenty redeveloped Riverfront has been transformed from a blighted area into a local tourist attraction. It offers a variety of places to eat, outlet shops, and the newly developed Chase Center which hosts special events and exhibits. Nearby is the Frank Furness Railroad District.

Trolley Square[5], which is home to Italian restaurants like Toscana, sports bars, specialty wine shops, cafes and pubs and is walking distance to Brandywine Park.

Other points of interest include Old Swedes Church (dedicated 1699), a monument to the colony of New Sweden at nearby Fort Christina State Park, and Delaware's tall ship, the Kalmar Nyckel.

Charcoal Pit -- 2600 Concord Pike. This local institution, and favorite of U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, has been serving-up burgers, cheesesteaks and milkshakes since opening in 1956, and offers ice cream sundaes named for local high school mascots. A must.

The Sunday Breakfast Mission A free bed and meal. However, the line can be long. Be sure to arrive early to make sure you get a bed.

Contact

Phone

Wilmington is served by all the major celluar companies (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile)

Publications

The News Journal[19]is Wilmington's daily, and covers all of Delaware. Philadelphia, New York and Washington papers are also widely available.

Get out

Arden[20], Is a small community north of Wilmington, founded by the sculptor Frank Stephens and the architect William Price on the economic theories of Henry George. Arden is a gem of Arts & Crafts style architecture, and has a lively theater and arts scene. The town also has many pedestrian paths that can be used for leisurely strolls,. In the summer, Arden has a long tradition of outdoor theater, which continue to today. In the fall, there is the Arden Fair, which includes many concerts, games and food booths [21]

Brandywine Valley[22], which extends from Wilmington's outskirts across the state line into Pennsylvania to the northwest. The beautiful countryside is accessible in all seasons, but particularly attractive in spring and fall. Home to the Brandywine River Museum and various wineries in the area, such as Chaddsford Winery [23].

Longwood Gardens[24], another few miles up Route 52 in Pennsylvania, is another former duPont estate-turned-museum. Its massive estate boasts some of the most impressive formal gardens in the country, while the palatial conservatory is home to thousands of plant species. A must for any plant-lover.

Newark. Home to the University of Delaware.

New Castle (Delaware) 9 miles to the South of Wilmington. Nestled along the Delaware, New Castle's old section has managed to survive much as it looked during the American revolution.

Winterthur, five miles north of Wilmington along Route 52, is a 900-acre former duPont family estate which is now a museum known for its unparalleled collection of early American decorative arts. Stop at the nearby Buckley's Tavern to relax in an atmosphere with locals or go for a drive along one of the many byways through the surrounding countryside, locally known as Chateau Country.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!